There For A Friend
by skyredcowgirl
Summary: Harm's sick on the weekend, but refuses to go to the doctor. Worried, Mattie calls Mac to ask for a favor. Sometime after ATW2. Mattie is in the story, but it's before Mattie's accident.
1. Chapter 1

Title: There For A Friend (subject to change, I just don't know what to call it)

Rating: safe for anyone who can watch a pg-13 movie I'd say

Disclaimer: Don't own them, really wish I did. Plus, if you sue me you wouldn't get anything. I'm a college student, I'm lucky enough to pay rent and eat.

AN: I'm new to this so go sort of easy please. Haven't really got a solid plan on the outcome. Just had some ideas for stories. I got to writing part of this and realized I had no idea where I was really going, so I'm not going to say this story has a particular purpose or plot. It might have one by the end though, just don't look for any gurantees.

Storywise: I don't think Harm actually has a bathroom door, I don't know what is actually there if anything, but for the sake of the story, just go along here with me and if you don't want a door, imagine a curtain or something, I don't know. Oh and a warning: this has not been beta read, and although I'm good in English classes, I'll still admit to mistakes. 

Mac's Apt.

Sat. night

11pm

The ringing of the phone woke her from a deep, contented sleep. It was only 11pm on a Saturday night, but the week had been long, and for once she was having a very pleasant dream. It was one that if given the choice she would have liked to continue it, but the ring of her telephone quickly ended that as she reluctantly picked up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Mac?" said a hesitant teenager.

"Yeah, it's me. The phone just woke me is all."

"I'm sorry Mac, I thought you would still be awake." She apologized quickly.

"It's alright Mattie, I normally am. What did ya need?"

Now that she was more awake, she couldn't help but wonder why the youth was calling her at this time of the night, unless it was something important.

"Well," she said a little unsure, "It's about Harm."

Now Mac's mind was really starting to wonder. Mattie was calling at this time of the night about Harm?

"What about him?"

"He's sick, and I don't mean just a little cold or something, otherwise I wouldn't bother you."

Mac quickly cut in "How sick, Mattie?"

"He's been throwing up since Friday, but it got worse tonight after supper, and he didn't even eat anything. He's been throwing up like every half an hour or more, and I don't think that there is even anything in his stomach left for him to throw up. He really hasn't been feeling that well all week, but he refused to go to the doctor, and now I think he has a fever, but of course he won't admit to that either." Mattie spilled out quickly. Mac could hear the worry in her voice along with frustration.

"Where is he now?"

"Passed out on his bed I think. I'm not sure he's even aware enough to know that I'm in his apartment. Last thing he said to me was a few hours ago after he started puking his guts out, when he told me not to worry about him and insisted that I should work on my paper that's due Monday instead. Like I could concentrate on that knowing that he's in here as sick as a dog." Mac thought for a moment.

"Don't you have volleyball practice tomorrow?"

"Yea, and he told me he'd take me, but I don't think that there's any way possible he's gonna feel like moving tomorrow, and Jen's out of town for the next two weeks on vacation."

"Okay, I'm going to grab a few of my things, run down to the store and grab some stuff for him, and then I'll be over there. If it's alright with you, I'll just stay there this weekend, and tomorrow I'll take you to your practice."

"Thanks Mac, I would really really appreciate it." Even Mac could tell how elated the teenager was.

"No problem at all, and maybe while Harm is resting Sunday you and me could do some stuff together. Do you need anything while I'm out?"

"Sounds great Mac, and no, I'm fine. Harm and I went shopping last night, which is probably part of what made him worse. He wouldn't wear a jacket or even a long sleeve shirt." She said in a scolding fashion.

Mac smiled. "That's a guy for you. Normally he's pretty good about that stuff though." She was moving about gather a few things from her bathroom.

"I think it was because he had a fever last night too, and was felt warm when he left the apartment, but later I swear he felt and looked like an ice cube."

"I wouldn't doubt it. Okay, I'm heading out of my apartment now, I'll be there in a little bit."

"K, thanks again Mac."

"No problem, Mattie. Bye."

"Bye."

Hanging up the phone Mac was out the door.

Harm's Apt.

Around Midnight

Mattie was opening the door for Mac. "Hey." Mac said quietly, walking in she deposited her bag near the couch, and put the bag from the store on the kitchen counter. "How's he been?" Mac asked as she moved around the counter to get a glass.

"Pretty much the same, about every half hour he's throwing up again. Then he goes back to the bed and doesn't move again for another 15 or 20 mins. I swear he can't have anything in his stomach. He hasn't really kept anything down for the last two days, well not for long anyways." Mattie watched as Mac filled the glass with ice, and went to pull something out of the bag. She realized it was juice, Harm's favorite kind. She smiled at this. 'and they still think there's nothing between them but friendship.' Mattie looked at the clock on the stove and noticed how late it really was getting. She heard Harm in the bathroom again. Mattie looked up to see a frown on Mac's face when Mac heard Harm in the bathroom too.

Mattie didn't really want to leave him, but she really did need to work on that paper and get to bed soon and Mac was here now, so he would have someone around to make sure he was alright. "I'm gonna head back to my apartment and work on my paper then get in bed."

"Okay, what time does your practice start tomorrow?" Mac asked pulling things out of the bag.

"Not until 2, so we don't have to leave until later." Mattie grimaced at the sight of the pink bottle Mac had just pulled out of the bag. "He's going to refuse to take that you know?" She pointed at the bottle.

Mac smiled "Yeah, I know, but he will anyway." Mattie laughed.

"Okay, well come in whenever you want the door is unlocked, but the elevator is locked and so's the stairwell." Mac looked a little confused at that and before she could ask her question Mattie answered it.

"Harm's idea. He gets up and locks them late at night. He doesn't want to have to lock his door in case me or Jen really need something. He worries a lot about me being in this neighborhood. I keep telling him not to worry, but he does anyways." She paused. "Harm says that the neighborhood has gotten worse. I didn't know at the time, but he told me recently, that when he first started working for me that someone had broken into his apartment one night. He was coming home late that night because he helped me move some stuff around in the hangars, and he happened to walk in on the two and they got startled and evidently attacked him." Mac was really shocked at this.

"I guess he never told you either, huh?"

"No, not even after he returned," she spoke softer "but then we weren't really talking all that much at the time, so I doubt he would have told me."

"I doubt he would have told me either if it hadn't have been for me moving in here." Mattie said with a sigh.

"He's like that Mattie. Did anything happen to him?"

"I asked him that, and he said he had to go to the hospital when the police showed up. One of the guys evidently hit him in the head with something and the other one shoved him backwards into some of the furniture. The police made him go because he was having trouble focusing and had a headache. He had a concussion and some cracked ribs, and they made him stay overnight because there wouldn't have been anyone at home to watch him with the concussion. I figured that's why he had called and said that he couldn't come in those two following days, but he never made any mention of it at the time."

Mac shook her head and sighed. There was silence for a moment.

"Anyways, just tell him I'm working on my paper and that I hope he feels better. Oh and tell him goodnight for me too." She stood up and moved towards the door. Mac straightened from where she had been leaning against the counter.

"Okay, will do Mattie. Goodnight."

"Night Mac." and with that Mattie closed the door.

Mac heard Harm return to his bed. It was hard to miss the sound of him flopping down on his bed. She started walking that way thinking of what Mattie had told her. Some things never really change she thought. He will always try to protect the people he loves, but for that time he didn't have some one to turn to. Mac wasn't there for him to turn to when she would have been before. So much had changed since Paraguay, and she was still trying to figure some of it out.

She walked up the steps to his bed and set the things she was carrying on his night stand. She thought about turning on his lamp, but thought it better not to blast him with light. The apartment was relatively dark, but light enough for her to see. The only light was in his living room.

She sat next to him on the edge of the bed. He didn't even stir from his position, lying on his stomach with his head turned towards her, arms stretched under his pillow. She laid a hand on his clothed shoulder. "Harm? It's me, Mac." He acknowledged she was there with a half-groan, half-grunt sound. "Harm I need you to turn over and sit up."

She wasn't real sure that he was aware that she was there.

"Don't want to Mac." He mumbled.

She smiled, "I know Harm, but you need to. I've got medicine for you, and you need to drink something."

"It's just going to come right back up again Mac, and that's not something I'm too fond of right now." He said, but still turned over and sat up for her. He kept his eyes closed.

"What are you doing here? Not that I mind, just wondering why you're here." She stuck a thermometer in his mouth as he finished saying it, and promptly told him "Keep that in Harm, and don't talk till it's done. Mattie called me, worried because you were, and I quote "puking your guts out"." He smiled, but didn't say anything.

"She wanted to make sure you were alright. You should have said something about not feeling well this week Harm, I would have covered your cases for you, and Bud would have jumped to help you."

The thermometer beeped and he handed it to her. "I just got back to work not that long ago Mac."

"Yeah, but Harm no one would fault you for being sick, trust me, the office missed you while you were gone. Even the Admiral did whether you believe it or not."

"I'll let you keep believing that one, but I wouldn't bet on me believing it any time soon. Besides I didn't want to give you all more work to do when I could still do it."

"We wouldn't have minded Harm, especially if it would have saved you from running a 103 temperature. If it gets any higher, you're going to the hospital, and don't argue, I don't think I have to give you any lectures about health."

"How about you just shoot me instead, save everyone a lot of trouble." He said tiredly.

"Nope sorry, I said we would be happy to help you with work temporarily Harm, not permanently. Now open you eyes."

He did so, very unhappily, only to be greeted by light from his lamp and Mac with a glass of juice in her hand. She didn't give him any choice but to take the glass as she thrust it at him and reached for a box from his night stand, opening it as she asked "How many do you take?"

"What are they?"

"Just Tylenol."

"Four."

She looked up at him at this answer. "You're not serious are you?" She asked shocked.

He replied quietly, "Yeah, it's because of my ramp strike. Well and various other injuries since. I was on a lot of painkillers for a little over a year after I woke up." He was looking down when he said it and for a moment she felt bad about making him bring it up, but she let it go. She pushed four out of the plastic and foil packet. He reached for her hand as she went to hand them to her, realizing that a tense moment had come about. "It's alright Mac. It doesn't bother me that much anymore, just the regular same old stuff. Besides you'd be shocked to find out how many flight surgeons have told me I can take, I think last time I was on board for quals it was 8 or 10."

"How can you take so many and why did he need to tell you that?"

"You're going to laugh at that." He swallowed the pills and some juice and handed her the glass back. "I was walking and talking to a guy that I had flown with earlier that day. We were walking to the mess hall after my last trap for the day and I had forgotten that there was a pipe hanging overhead that I wouldn't clear as we went down the steps. I was looking down talking to him when I saw him try to tell me something, but it was too late. I jogged down the stairs right into the pipe. Knocked me back onto the steps." She tried to stifle a giggle.

"Told you you'd laugh. It wasn't one of my brighter moments I admit. At least you and him got a laugh out of it. The flight surgeon did too." He closed his eyes again. She reached up to stroke his forehead. "Your head has got to be one of the hardest, flyboy. It gets hit way more than it should."

"mmhmm." She reached over and grabbed the pink bottle and opened it.

"Here, take this." He opened his eyes again to see the offending bottle.

"No thanks Mac, that stuff is nasty."

"Not an option Harm, it might help settle your stomach, and don't argue about it your only wasting your time." She knew he really didn't feel good when he complied.

He took a swig of it and handed it back to her, and went to lie back down on his bed.

"Not yet Harm."

He gave her a slight whinning. "That's all the medicine I'm taking Mac. It's all just going to come back up in a little while so taking more isn't going to do any good."

"That's not what I mean. You need to change. If you haven't noticed, you're still in your shirt and jeans."

"I don't care Mac. I just want to lay down for a while."

"Take five minutes to change, you'll feel better in the long run. Now what do you want to wear?"

"What time is it?"

She looked at him startled by the change of subject. " 12:17. Why?"

"Cause if it's night I might as well wear what I'm going to sleep in, although I doubt I'll be in bed that much tonight." He grumbled.  
"Mattie was right, you really are out of it if you hadn't noticed that it has been night for a long time." She said a little worried, but went back to her original question. "Boxers then?"

"Yeah, long as you don't mind." She moved to get him a pair from his clothes.

"Is it hot in here to you Mac?" he asked in a weary voice.

"Not to me, but then again you've always been more of the furnace than I am." She said as she moved back around to him.

"It's a guy thing, so we can keep you women warm and so you don't steal all our warmth." He smiled as she pulled him up from his sitting spot.

"Alright caveman off with the clothes."

He pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it towards his closet, and then reached to undo his pants, unfazed that Mac was still standing there right in front of him.

"Back to what I was saying, I'm probably going to feel hot all night no matter what temp it is in here, so adjust the thermostat for you not me. I'd go set it to what you want it to be tonight now," he dropped his jeans to the floor and picked up the boxers, "because it'll take a while to adjust itself."

She turned to walk to the thermostat and so he could change without her in there. She flipped it up a couple of degrees from where it was. She would never understand why men always radiated heat. She figured they had to have some internal furnace that science just didn't know about. As she walked back up to the bedroom she watched as he slowly picked his jeans and boxers off of the floor and tossed them to land with his shirt.

"Nice aim Commander."

Before he could flop back down she caught his arm to make him stay upright, and reached down to pull back the covers. He smiled and she pushed him to lie down. "Thanks. For everything."

"That's what I'm here for. Just rest."

He closed his eyes and for a few minutes she thought he might have actually started to go to sleep, but he spoke quietly, "Could you lock the elevator and stairwell for me and check on Mattie?"

"Already taken care of. Mattie said to tell you she is going to work on her paper then go to bed, and she already locked the elevator and stairwell for you. She said to get better, after telling me why you've started to lock the elevator and stairwell."

He noticed the tone she used, even in his tired state. He knew that Mattie had told her what he had begrudgingly told Mattie a few weeks ago, and he knew that Mac wasn't very happy with it.

"I just wanted Mattie to be safe."

"Uh huh, and it has nothing to do with those two men that broke in and the attacked you when you showed up in the middle of their robbery."

"Nope, not at all." He said knowing what her next response would be.

"Smartass" she said smiling and stroking his forehead. A few seconds of silence passed and he didn't think she was going to say anything else until he heard her very quiet voice say "you know you can always call me Harm, not matter what happens between us. I would have been there for you if you had called."

"I didn't want to bother you Mac. At that point I was away from everyone that I had known for the last 9 years, and not too many of those people would have been very happy to have heard from me at that time."

"You'd be surprised Harm. All of your friends," she paused "we missed you, and had something worse happened to you we all would have been upset." He went to say something, but she interrupted him before he could start.

"And right now you need to rest. You don't need me holding you up to a conversation right now. Get some sleep. I'm going to be in your kitchen for a while cleaning up some of the stuff I brought then I'll head to the couch."

"Mac you can share the bed with me, I don't mind. Or you can have Jen's bed, she won't mind you borrowing it."

"No, I don't want to leave you alone in here. I want to be able to make sure that your okay and that your temp doesn't get to high."

"Then stay in here, I probably won't even be in the bed half of the time."

"If your sure."

"I'm sure. Just make sure you sleep on the other side, other wise I can't be held responsible for any messes, on you or the floor." He smiled and turned to his side as she stood up.

"Thanks for the visual Rabb." She grimaced. "I'll be back in a moment."

Mac spent about twenty minutes cleaning up and straightening things in his apartment. After finishing she went in to check on Harm again, finding him the same way she had left him she went to grab his glass of juice and head out of his room. As she went to turn away from his bed his tired, soft voice startled her.

"Yeah Harm?"

"You almost done?"

"Yeah I was just going to go change here in a minute and was debating on whether I should use your bathroom or if it would be smarter to use Mattie and Jen's apartment."

He was silent for a few seconds, "Your fine to use mine. It's clean." He smiled, and she returned the smile and asked him, "You feeling any better?"

He sighed "Not really, but I feel better having you here, especially for Mattie's sake. Thanks Mac."

"It's no problem Harm. I'm going to go change and get ready for bed."

"k" he mumbled and closed his eyes again.

She turned and went back to the kitchen to put some ice in his drink. Then grabbed her bag and walked back into his bedroom. Setting the glass on his night stand, she continued on to his bathroom, pulling the door to, but not closed in case he should need in.

that's where it ends for now. I'll get more up eventually. any suggestions you make would be helpful. if you want to make any suggestions for ideas for a completely different story, if I try to write it, you'd get credit, a great amount of credit.

like I said I'm new to writing out a whole story, so go easy.

oh and if you have any ideas for a title, I would love to hear them, and if I do change it to yours I'll let you know and make sure that your greatly acknowledged for it. I'm desperate for a title that I think really fits.

skyred


	2. Chapter 2

Title: There For A Friend

Rating: I'd say for now just about everyone, but to be safe it's a T.

Spoilers: I forgot this part last time. Ummm, not real sure. It's set in the last season, if I remember correctly. I missed a lot of season nine and ten, I'm sad to say. It is after Harm returned to JAG from the CIA. He has Mattie at the apartment and Jen is there too. Can anyone tell me if around that time Gen. Cresswell was there or if it was still Sturgis? I don't have a good timeline for that in my head. I was still upset about JAG ending and the whole thing with how they were handling Harm in the episodes.

Warning: I didn't have this beta read, so any mistakes are definitely my own. Don't feel reserved about letting me know about them. In the long run, it'll help me!

Disclaimer: Does dreaming count as owning them? I guess that wishing doesn't count either, then? ….sigh…. Oh well, at least I still have my dreams.

AN: I didn't even think about the story being AU until someone mentioned it. I'm not really intent on fitting it into the last season of JAG, I'd call it AU. Especially now that I think it might be longer than I thought.

Thank you very much for the reviews! If I could I'd show you the smile I had on my face when after I read them; it almost rivaled some of Harm's more radiant flyboy smiles we all dream of! lol

I think this might be a series in the end. I like two of your suggestions. I liked the two ideas so much that I decided to combine them! I figure that it will just take me longer to get to where I am going with it, and hey, I figure it will give everyone something more to read, right? Thanks janlaw and Staz for the ideas, and thanks everyone for giving me some advice on the writing! I appreciate it!

Sorry I write a lot of notes; they will get shorter as I write more stories, promise!

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In the bathroom, Mac sat her bag on the toilet. Opening it, she started taking out her toothbrush and toothpaste, hairbrush, and her night clothes. Placing them on the counter she looked into the mirror. She took a minute just to look, but she wasn't looking at herself; she was looking back at the past few years, at the memories of Harm and her. There had been so many rough spots in their friendship, but it never tore them apart completely. They always kept coming back to each other in the end, whether intentional or not. To her, it felt like she had known him forever, but in reality she had really only known him for a short, yet memorable time, a time that she never really wanted to end. Breaking herself from her thoughts she undressed and put on her night clothes, then picked up her brush and began running it through her hair.

Harm was just about asleep when his stomach started rolling again. 'When's it going to end?' his mind begged. Laying on his side, he let his thoughts wonder in the hopes of his stomach calming. His mind wandered over to Mac showing up tonight. He probably should have been a little upset at Mattie for calling Mac, but he really couldn't fault her for it. Mattie worried about him as much as he worried for her, and with no one else here the only place for Mattie to look was to Mac.

He heard the water turn on as he turned to his other side, facing the bathroom. He had a feeling that all the medicine Mac put into him was fixing to come back up, but he was trying his best to delay the inevitable. If he was truthful with himself, he really should have gone to the doctor Friday, but he just couldn't seem to squeeze it in anywhere. Between court, client meetings, paperwork, and all the work he had to do at home, he just didn't see where he could fit it in. His stomach flopped again, making sure that he knew how unhappy it was with him. He thought that he would be fine until Mac came out of his bathroom, but when his stomach tossed again he rushed into the bathroom, hoping that Mac was at least decent.

The door came open as Mac was brushing her teeth. Startled she looked up and quickly moved back out of his way. While he vomited up the medicine and juice that had went down just an hour ago, Mac rinsed her toothbrush and mouth. Laying it to the side she reached behind her to grab a washcloth. She tried her best not to listen to the sounds of him heaving, while she ran cold water over the washcloth.

With the spasms of his abdominal muscles quieting, he leaned back and pushed himself up. Flushing the toilet he turned towards Mac, taking the wet cloth she handed him. He wiped his mouth, and leaning against the counter he set the washcloth to the side. "Thanks," he said "and sorry."

"Sorry for what?" she asked.

He breathed in, "For coming in here; I wasn't sure you were decent."

She grinned at him and moved to stand beside him, "Don't be, you couldn't help it." He gave her a tired grin "Too bad you were dressed, might have cheered me up some." Laughing she gave him a soft swat to his shoulder, "Your too sick to red light, but keep that up and I might take you to the doctor anyways."

"Come on, you need to get back in bed." She turned to open the door, but before she made it there she saw his body turn the other way, back to the toilet again. She rinsed the cloth again, and walked to him. Dropping down next to him, she lay a hand on his bare back, feeling his muscles heave in an effort to force anything they could out of an already empty stomach.

She cringed sympathetically at his dry heaves, knowing how painful they can be. She rubbed his back in between his shoulder blades in small circles as the convulsions started to recede. He sat, his head resting downward for a minute, while he tried to catch his breathe, letting her hand soothe him some. She handed him the washcloth again, as flushed the toilet and pushed himself back to sit on the ground. She followed him asking what probably sounded like a silly question, but she couldn't think of anything else to say. "You okay?"

He breathed out before answering "That's yet to be determined." He leaned sideways against the wall, and closed his eyes for a moment, his arms resting on his up-bent knees.

She moved her arm to graze against his forehead, noting how warm he still was, and taking the cloth from his hand she stood. Putting the rag next to the sink, she grabbed another washcloth from the rack behind her and wet it. Turning back to his weary form she touched his arm, "You want to head back to bed?" He nodded slightly, and moved slowly to get up. Taking his hand, she helped him up, and guided him to the bed. Once there he laid down in bed on his back, wishing for nothing more than for the sick feeling to go away. 'I'd settle for sleep, though." he thought, pulling the covers up to his stomach. He felt her weight settle on the bed beside him, and the coolness of the washcloth she had folded and placed on his forehead.

"That feel any better?" she asked laying her hand on his arm. He nodded, "Mom used to do the same when I was little. Don't know why a wet piece of cloth makes you feel better when your sick, but it does."

"Yeah." She paused for a moment, thinking, "Didn't any of your girlfriends do the same?"

His eyes still closed he slowly shook his head no, "Renee was there, but she didn't know that trick I guess, and I don't know about Jordan or Annie. I wasn't sick like this around them." The words he used struck her as odd. "You were sick like this when you were with Renee, like the same type of sick?"

He nodded again, "Yeah, I was sick off and on for about a week. I was already scheduled to have off that week anyways, remember? I just took an extra day before my leave started. I was supposed to go on a sort of getaway with Renee and a bunch of her business friends for a few days that week. I was going to use the rest of the time working on some things in my apartment and flying Sarah, but I ended up almost the entire time in the bed or the bathroom."

"Didn't you go to the doctor?"

"No, didn't want to, like I said it was off and on." He trailed off, murmuring the end of the sentence. Deciding the questioning could hold off until morning, when hopefully he would feel better she rubbed his arm and grabbed two more Tylenol from the box on his bedside. "Here take these. I don't think the last ones stayed in you long enough to do any good." She placed them in his hand and handed him his juice, helping him sit up long enough to swallow them. Once he was settled she went back to the bathroom and gathered her stuff back into her bag and turned out the light. She sat her bag near the bedroom door, and walked to the other side of his bed, sliding in beside him. She pulled the covers up a little higher on him. "Get some rest Harm, Goodnight."

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Sorry about it taking so long to update. It's the week before finals and every teacher is trying to see how much they can make us do before they have to let us go. I made this one shorter than I really wanted so I could get another chapter up, and because it seemed to want to be ended right there. I had major writer's block trying to start this chapter. It drove me so crazy that I called my friend at night to talk about nothingness! He wasn't very excited to help me out there.

I'm gonna try my best to get another chapter up in another two days, but I'm not guaranteeing it by any means. Thanks for all of your reviews last time! I smile every time I think of them! Criticism good or bad (towards the writing of course) is always appreciated, since it's the only way for me to get better at this!

-skyred


	3. Chapter 3

Title: There For a Friend

Rating: I'm still sticking with T

Disclaimer: Still waiting for that dream to come true

Warning: Not been Beta-Read. Only read through by me and usually that's only when I have the time.

AN: I'm still considering where to take this. I've got an idea, but for now I'm letting my imagination shape how I fit my idea in.  
Sorry for the delay, besides school (which is almost done for the fall semester) I'd forgotten that I needed to research some things in here for them to turn out right, and I'm still researching! Did I mention that I don't like researching?

I'm taking an artistic license out on this story. Because of how I wrote it, I can't change some things that maybe should be there for a few ideas I was tossing around. Since I've done some research some of those things won't be believable anymore, and I'm going with one of the things that I think fits best for what I've already written, plus I've had it so I know somewhat what it feels like. If some of it doesn't seem to be medically accurate or something like that, feel free to mention it to me, but I'm claiming being a new fanfic writer and artistic license for the cause.

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Mac was jarred awake for the sixth time since she had gotten in bed two hours ago. Each time Harm had lunged to the bathroom to throw up what little might be in his stomach and then dry heave until his body decided that that was all it was going to get out of itself. After the medicine had come back up for the second time, she thought it better not to try anymore until his stomach had settled some. After his fourth time in the bathroom since she'd been there, and her second time following him to the bathroom, he'd told her that unless he didn't come back out for a good while, she was okay to stay in the bed. She'd met his wishes, but had woken up every time he got up. She would wait, hearing the sounds of him puking his guts up, until he came out, and on his way back to bed she'd watch to make sure he was okay, not falling asleep again until he settled back into bed.

This time was no different. She watched as he tiredly stumbled back to bed and slid back in again. He lay on his back for a few moments, until he restlessly shifted onto his left side facing her. His eyes were closed, and she noticed that his right arm rested across his stomach. Each time he came back he seemed more restless than the time before. She hadn't really noticed it much until last time, thinking that he was just trying to find a comfortable position to relieve his probably rolling stomach. She almost closed her eyes after he seemed settled on his left side, when he shifted again. This time she heard a small groan as he rolled to his other side. She watched carefully as his left arm came to rest like his right one had seconds ago. When he pulled his knees up towards his stomach she sat up, worried. Her friendship with Harm might have gone to hell in a hand basket over the last year or so, but she still knew him, and the Harm she knew didn't ever like to be curled up when he slept.

"Harm?"

He heard her, but at that moment he really didn't feel like responding. He felt like crap. He didn't ever recall feeling as bad as this. He'd felt worse pain after his ramp strike, but not this overall bad feeling. He'd been tired most of the week, but the way he felt now had gone far past that. Now he felt exhausted, fatigued. He just wanted to sleep, but the dull pain that he figured was just regular aches and pains that come with having the flu or sometimes a stomach virus had become sharp pains in his back. His stomach hurt now too, and all he wanted to do was roll over and die he felt so bad, but he seriously doubted that Mac would let him.

"Harm," she shook his shoulder lightly, "Answer me Harm, your starting to worry me." She sounded it too.

"Yeah" was all he got out, as she leaned over and placed her hand on his forehead.

"I don't think your fever has dropped any; it feels warmer." She sighed, running her hand down the side of his face as she removed her hand. "You feel any worse?" She knew he had to just by the weary tone of his voice.

"Yeah."

"What's worse?"

"Everything."

"What's everything, Harm? Turn over and lay on your back for a moment."

He shook his head, "That makes my stomach hurt worse."

"Hurts as in cramps or sharp pains?" she continued the questioning, trying to get a grasp on how he was feeling.

"Both, it feels like tiny knives stabbing at me from the inside."

"Anything else hurt?" she prodded feeling him shiver like he was cold even though he was probably radiating enough heat to heat his whole apartment.

"My back." Her eyes widen when she heard this, growing more concerned.

"Where at on your back Harm?" she placed her left hand on his lower back across his spine "Here?"

"Higher, on the sides, right underneath the bottom of my ribs." He grimaced and and let out another small groan as she pressed her hand over the area.

"How long has your back been hurting Harm? Did it hurt like this when you were sick with Renee around?" she asked.

"It's not been. It's just been a dull ache off and on all day." He protested.

"But it's been getting worse? And answer my other question." she asked as she got up from the bed and moved towards her bag.  
"Yeah," he sighed, "and no it didn't feel like this that time." He closed his eyes again against the stabbing sensation in his abdomen.

She grabbed a shirt and jeans out of her bag, tossing them on quickly. Not bothering to grab her bag or the clothes she took off as she left the bathroom. She found him a pair of sweats and a comfortable T-shirt that he liked to wear, and walked over to his side of the bed. She leaned over and raked his bangs off his forehead.

"Harm, I need you to get up. We need to take you to the hospital." she spoke softly.

"I'll be fine in the morning Mac." he murmured. She sighed. She knew that he wouldn't want to go, but he needed to go, just in case it was something worse than just a stomach virus.

"Harm, you've been running a high fever, you're having abdominal pains, your back hurts, and your dry heaving has been getting worse over the past two hours. I don't think we can wait until in the morning."

He knew she was right, but he didn't really want to have to wake Mattie up and tell her where he was going, and in truth he didn't like hospitals at all, but then he guessed that not many people did.

"When you put it like that, I guess I need to get up."

He had to force himself to get up he was so tired. He sat for a minute once he was sitting before accepting his shirt from her, and slowly pulled it on. Taking the sweatpants from her he pulled them as far as he could sitting down, and then reluctantly stood to pull them up the rest of the way. He regretted that action instantly, eyes closing and face twisting a little in response to the pain.

As soon as he opened his eyes, he was being pushed back to sit on the bed. Mac was in front of him tossing a pair of sneakers on his sock less feet.

"Hey, you know you're suppose to put socks on before shoes don't you?" he smiled, trying for some humor, although he knew his attempt probably sounded pretty pitiful at the moment.

She gave him a quick smile, as she stood, bantering back at him "Oh is that the order? Guess I'll have to try that next time."

Putting a hand on his back she spoke softer "Let's get going, flyboy."

Levering himself up, she put an arm around his waist as he straightened. A little surprised hesitated for only a brief second before putting his arm across her shoulders. She started them walking towards his bedroom steps, frowning when after only a few steps his other arm went across his midsection. She grabbed his jacket before descending down the stairs with him. Reaching the door, she sopped him. She handed him the coat as she went and grabbed his keys and her purse from the counter.

He had shrugged on his jacket and was leaning against the door frame, having already opened the door, when she returned to him. "You know we're going to have to wake Mattie up right?" she asked him.

He nodded, knowing that Mattie had been worried about him earlier made him hate the fact that he didn't go to the doctor Friday and was now having to take her to the ER with him, but he couldn't leave her in the apartment alone. Before Mac could take up her position beside him, he started moving towards Mattie's door. Mac followed right behind.

"Mattie?" he called while knocking on the door, knowing better than to just open it. Without an answer he turned towards Mac, "You go in first." He pushed the door open for her, and followed her in, dropping on the couch as soon as he could.

Mac continued on towards Mattie's door, rapping on it and calling the girl's name before she opened the door.

Mattie woke instantly when her room was flooded with light. It took her a moment to focus, but when she did she was immediately concerned. Mac was standing at the foot of her bed with a look that told her something was wrong.

Instantly hopping out of bed and searching for a shirt and some pants she asked "What's wrong with him?" Point blank and to the point, Mac inwardly smiled a little, before trying to calm the teen.

"He's running a fever and feeling worse, so erring on the side of caution we're going to the Bethesda ER." She knew she dressed it down a little, okay, maybe more than a little, but she didn't want to scare the girl. Mattie nodded.  
"Ok, give me just a minute and I'll be ready. Ya'll can go ahead and head down to the car, I'll lock up everything."

Mac nodded her okay, and walked back out to Harm. "Mattie's going to meet us down at the car. She said she'd lock up everything on her way out."

By the time they had gotten to his SUV his body was tensed; his breathing had turned to short breathes to keep from using his stomach muscles as much as possible. He slid into the passenger side seat as Mac held the door open for him. Shutting it once he was in, she walked around and got in as well. She turned on the car and let it warm up as they waited for Mattie. In no time, Mattie jumped into the back seat, handing Mac Harm's wallet. "In case you need it to fill out some of the information."

"Thanks. I had forgotten all about that. Can't believe that I forgot to grab it." Mac berated herself.

Mattie spoke up before Harm could respond. "Don't worry about it. You had other things to worry about."

As the trio walked into the ER at Bethesda they immediately sought out a chair for Harm. Sitting him down, Mac walked over to the nurse's desk. Mattie settled in a chair next to him. He looked over at her, "I'll be fine Mattie. It's probably just a virus going around, and they'll kick me out of here in no time."

She smiled, not believing a word he said.

Mac came back and sat herself on the other side of him, and started to fill out the forms given to her at the desk. He watched her for a minute, as she buzzed through the paperwork "Storming the beaches there Marine?"

She looked up at him, seeing his smile she returned on of her own. "Let me know if you find anything you can't answer or your not sure of." He said laying his head back against the wall and closing his eyes.

Not five minutes later she was shaking him awake, handing him the clipboard. He looked at her, "Um... these are a little too personal for me to answer for you." she said pointing at the blank spots on the paper. Grinning, he nodded at her "Yeah, I'd say so." Handing the papers back to Mac when he was done, he laid his head back again. His stomach was rolling again, and he hoped they'd be able to get to him before it got any worse. Luckily for him someone was listening that morning. As soon as Mac got back to his side, a man appeared at the doorway calling his name. "Commander Rabb."

"Right here, just a minute." Mac answered for him, as she helped him up. Mattie stood as well.

The man stopped them as they went to follow him. "I'm sorry, but only one of you can come back with him. There was a pile-up on the Beltway just a little while ago and we are still overflowing with patients. We can't have too many people back there, it gets crowded fast."

Mattie spoke up first "You go with him Mac. I'll stay here."

"Are you sure Mattie?"

"Yeah. You'll be able to correct more of the answers Harm gives the doctor than I will." she smiled at Harm.

Too tired to argue with anything at that point Harm reached over and hugged Mattie, telling her "I'll see you in a little bit, and don't worry. Just let the nurses know if you need anything." Harm looked to the man waiting for them to make sure she would be taken care of. The man nodded.

Mac and Harm followed the man back to a curtained in area with a gurney bed in it.

"I'll let the nurses know about your daughter, Sir. If you'll take your coat off lay back a doctor will be in to see you in a few minutes."

"Thanks." He handed Mac his coat before getting settled on the bed. Mac came to stand beside him at the head of the bed, setting her purse down on the floor next to the bed, but out of the way.

Both were startled when someone opened the curtain walked in and promptly closed it again. "Good morning, Commander, although I'm sure you're not finding it very good at all."

"Not really."

"Well hopefully we can change that." He moved around the bed to the other side offering his hand to Mac. "Hi, I'm Dr. Osborne."

"Colonel Mackenzie." she said accepting his handshake.

"I would shake your hand Commander, but I hope you don't mind I think I'll wait until we know if you have something contagious or not." he smiled warmly to his patient. Harm really didn't care one way or the other; he was more focused on trying to calm his stomach again. The stabbing sensation wasn't helping it any. The doctor walked around to the other side of the bed and sat on a stool placed off to the side. Perched on it the doctor addressed him.

"It says you've been running a fever of at least 103 degrees. How long have you had the fever Commander?"

"Since Friday afternoon, but it wasn't that high on Friday."

"Have you taken any OTCs for it?"

"Yes, but they don't stay down long enough to do any good."

"And that brings me to the next symptom. Nauseous and/or vomiting since Thursday?"

"Off and on." At his subtle reply Mac jumped in.

"It has gotten progressively worse tonight. He's been dry heaving for most of the night." Harm sent Mac a look, and Mac just smiled back at him.

"I see. It also says that your experiencing abdominal cramps and pain, and some back pain. Can you describe the pains, when they started, and where they are located for me Sir."

Mac looked at Harm, telling him silently that unless he wanted her to jump in again that he'd better just tell the doctor everything straight forward. He sighed at her look.

"The pains started out as just dull aches, so I assumed they were from whatever bug I've picked up. They were present Friday, but have gotten worse tonight. The cramps in my stomach haven't gotten that much worse, but the pain in my abdomen feels like pins or tiny knives stabbing me from the inside. The pain in my back just hurts. It hurts on my sides right under my lower ribs."

"Mmhmm." The doctor jotted down some notes, then standing up he grabbed something from the side. "Open up Commander, I need to take your current temperature." When it beeped he looked down at the electronic pad before him. "103.8." He announced. He took his blood pressure, and listened to his heart and lungs for a minute. Returning to his clipboard he wrote some more things, as Mac moved up beside Harm again, stroking the hair off of his forehead, as he wearily rested back against the pillow.

"Okay just a few more questions, Commander, and then we'll see about what tests we need to run." Harm just nodded, wanting it to be over already.

"Have you been sexually active in the last 6 months?"

"No." was his short reply.

"Have you noticed any discoloration or blood in your urine?"

"No."

"Increase in frequency of urination or decrease in amount of urine?"

"Not that I know of."

"Pain or burning during or after urination?" Harm paused at that. Mac questioned him, "Harm?"

He sighed, "Yes. Once or twice two weeks ago, I felt a burning sensation at first, but it didn't last but for a couple of seconds and I just wrote it off at the time, I wasn't sick at the time."

"Feel fatigued at all?"

"Yes."

The doctor went back to writing for a minute, then looked up again. Standing up he said, "Sit up for just a minute. I need you to lay flat for me. " Dr. Osborne dropped the head of the bed and Harm gingerly laid back, grimacing at his protesting stomach muscles as he did so. The doctor pulled up Harm's shirt to reveal his abdomen. "Let me know if any of this hurts or makes you feel worse." The doctor moved around Harm's stomach putting pressure on certain spots, but none really cause him any pain. "Anything Sir?"

"No, but your not making my stomach very happy at the moment."

"Sorry Sir." The doctor went a little higher on his stomach, "That bothers me a little, but it doesn't hurt."

In truth his stomach was revolting, and his abdominal muscles acted like they were going on a non-peaceful strike, but nothing the doctor did was making him hurt.

"Laying on my back makes the nauseous and stomach pains worse, though." He mentioned that he would be able to move soon.

"Hmm. Roll onto your stomach and put your hands above your head Commander."

Harm complied, laying his head so he was looking towards Mac with his hands resting just right above his head. The doctor raised Harm's shirt to his arms so he could see almost all of his back.

"Same thing Commander, let me know what hurts or bothers you."

He started on his lower back and moved upwards. Mac watched it for a moment, but soon was more content gaze at Harm's face. He had his eyes closed again, as he rested there. She felt bad for him. She knew he disliked hospitals, and being sick even more. Combining the two was not making him the most happiest of people. She knew he probably just wanted to go home and curl up in bed for the rest of the weekend, and she'd be content to let him do that if the doctors said it was safe for him to, but not until then. No matter how far apart they ever got, she always cared for him, always cared about what happened to him. She had tried to deny it for so long, tried to make herself forget that she cared, but it never worked, and so she had accepted the fact, and hoped beyond hope that they might get a normal friendship back someday. Well, as normal as was normal for them anyways. She was startled out of her thoughts by his face contorting as he let out a hiss of pain and tried to move his body away from the thing causing the pain to his body.

Mac looked to Harm's back where the doctor was putting pressure right where Harm had said the pain in his back was. He winced again, letting a small groan escape. She looked up at the doctor's face only to see a frown on it. She didn't like the look of that frown.

"Doctor?" she asked, laying her hand on Harm's up stretched arm.

"I think I may have figured out the culprit Commander, but I'm going to need to run a more conclusive test first. You can turn back over and replace your shirt now Sir."

The doctor propped the head of the bed back up a little, but not to where it was before. When Harm was settled he spoke.

"Okay Commander, it looks like your getting a room a few floors up. We are going to get you hooked up to an IV with fluids just to make sure you stay hydrated, and so we can run a 'clean-catch' urinalysis on you. The nurse will explain it when you after we get some fluids into your system. After you give us a sample we're going to put something in your IV to lower your fever and something for the vomiting, but I'm afraid the vomiting or in your case dry heaves won't disappear for a couple of hours yet." he said sympathetically.

"What do you think it is Dr. Osborne?" Mac asked, as she laid her hand on Harm's shoulder and arm again.

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I know, I know... I'm evil, but I promise you there will be another chapter up tomorrow (well I guess that is today since it's already like 3 am). I don't have school, an exam, or work tomorrow so I'll have plenty of time. I thought it was a good place to leave it for right now. I know it's a cliffhanger, and I more than anyone get frustrated about cliffhangers in stories, but I'm so tired I'm afraid I'd end up screwing up the story line. I've already got the next chapter mapped out in my head, and hey at least this one was longer right?

If there are a lot of spelling or grammar mistakes, I'm blaming on the fact that I haven't reread through the whole thing and I'm tired enough to have misspelled the simplest of words. Feel free to let me know about them though, cause otherwise I probably won't notice. Any helpful criticism is appreciated! Thanks for all your great reviews last time!

Night!

-skyred


	4. Chapter 4

Title: There For a Friend

Rating: I'm still sticking with T

Disclaimer: Still waiting for that dream to come true

Warning: Not been Beta-Read. Only read through by me and usually that's only when I have the time.

AN:

Vid Z.- answers to ?'s. Jen's out of town on personal leave for the week. I only briefly mentioned it in ch1. Personal as in personal personal, and maybe some things that she doesn't know for certain about since he was gone for a while. I just used Bethesda cause I have no clue on hospitals in the area, and I figured Georgetown was on the other side of town for him. shhhuuuussshhh! you caught a writer's screw-up with the car pile-up thing and the rank thing. It was so late at night when I was finally getting to it that I didn't even try to go back through the story really. If I get a chance I'll change it to a local civilian hospital near the apt. and replace the ch. w/updated version. Thanks for letting me know! Oh and you and me both on the canon Mac thing!

Odakota - That's why I thought that even though it was evil on my part, that it was good to leave it there cause at that point the reader knows he's at the hospital, so he can't die (maybe..smiles..). Glad to know you like it! That's the thing that keeps a writer writing!

Staz - Very close staz, very close. Glad to all the time I spent researching was time spent well, although some of my teachers and my parents might not agree, lol! I tried my best to make what's wrong with him medically believable, if you can get close then I must be doing something right I guess. Thanks!

Thanks to everyone for the reviews! Always appreciated, puts a big grin on my face every time!

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_from last ch. (since I left it as a cliffhanger): _

_"Doctor?" she asked, laying her hand on Harm's up stretched arm._

_"I think I may have figured out the culprit Commander, but I'm going to need to run a more conclusive test first. You can turn back over and replace your shirt now Sir."_

_The doctor propped the head of the bed back up a little, but not to where it was before. When Harm was settled he spoke._

_"Okay Commander, it looks like your getting a room a few floors up. We are going to get you hooked up to an IV with fluids just to make sure you stay hydrated, and so we can run a 'clean-catch' urinalysis on you. The nurse will explain it when you after we get some fluids into your system. After you give us a sample we're going to put something in your IV to lower your fever and something for the vomiting, but I'm afraid the vomiting or in your case dry heaves won't disappear for a couple of hours yet." he said sympathetically._

_"What do you think it is Dr. Osborne?" Mac asked, as she laid her hand on Harm's shoulder and arm again._

He looked at his patient then up to the woman standing beside his patient, "Well, with the symptoms he's describing I believe it to be a complicated UTI, but I won't know for sure until we run the urinalysis."

The word complicated sent off alarm bells in Mac's head, but before she could ask any more about it an attending pulled the curtain open. "They need you in exam four, Mrs. Dale's conditioned has worsened.", with that she turned and left pulling the curtain closed again.

"Sorry to run, but I'm needed elsewhere. A nurse will be by in a few minutes to give you a room Commander. You'll get a different doctor up there since I'm on call in here. They'll answer any questions you have. Hope you get better soon Commander." He turned and exited through the curtain like the attending, leaving just Mac and Harm in his little cubicle.

"Do you know what he meant by complicated Harm?" she asked as she turned towards him, only to cut herself off as she saw him sitting up to get out of bed. "What are you doing? What's wrong?" as he swung his legs over the edge of the bed.

"My stomach didn't appreciate the exam, gonna find a bathroom." He barely got out.

She looked around quickly for a trash can or something for him, finding a small square one by the wall she grabbed it and handed it to him before he could get his feet under him.

"I don't think you're going to make it to a bathroom." She said, and just as soon as she got the words out he started heaving over it.

She stood beside him, rubbing his back. When he finished he stayed bent over for a few minutes catching his breath. He groaned. Running her fingers over his hair she took the trashcan from his hands and set it aside. Laying back down again Harm curled onto his side, back to the same position he was in his own bed at home.

His back was stabbing at him now, torturing him with each throbbing spike pain as his body relaxed. His stomach fairing no better, groaned again.

Noticing he had no blanket, she leaned over him a little "I'll be right back.", to which he only nodded, not feeling like doing anything else.

Returning a few minutes later with a nurse carrying a hospital blanket, she pulled up the vacant stool and sat and waited for them to give him a room.

When they finally came by nearly half an hour later to take him up to his room, she went out to get Mattie.

Mattie stood as soon as she saw Mac and walked to meet her.

"How is he?"

Mac sighed, "He's okay, I think. They are giving him a room, and an IV with fluids. They need to run a test, but the doctor that saw him thought he knew what was wrong. After they run the test they are going to give him something in the IV to lower his fever and help with the throwing up. They are moving him now."

"What does the doctor think it is?"

"A urinary tract infection."

"Is it usual for someone to throw up with that?"

Mac wasn't originally going to tell Mattie that the doctor had called it complicated since she knew it would worry the girl as it did Mac, or more, and especially since she wasn't really sure what that meant for Harm, but she didn't know how else to explain the answer to that one without telling her.

"Not usually, at least not that I know of, but the doctor did say it was a complicated UTI. I didn't have time to ask him what that entailed, but he acted like Harm was fine. Well sick, but fine." She paused turning and starting to walk, waving to Mattie to follow.

"The doctor had another patient to see. He said that when Harm was moved to his own room a few floors up that he would get a new doctor and that he would answer any questions we had."

Reaching the elevators, Mac pushed the up button. The doors surprisingly opened immediately. "Is he already in the room?"

"They're moving him right now." She answered as they stepped in and turned around to see the doors closing.

"He's supposed to be in room 242."

Mattie nodded. They were silent as the elevator rose to the second floor. Dinging, the doors opened and Mattie followed Mac out the doors and around the corner. Turning down two halls they finally found his room, and finding the door slightly open Mac peeked in to see if he was in there. He was laying on his back slightly propped up with a nurse putting an IV into his hand. She pushed open the door and walked in followed by Mattie. He turned his head towards them, and gave them a small smile.

She grinned when she noticed what he was wearing.

"They let you keep you clothes huh?" she teased lightly, walking to the side of the bed. Mattie came to stand right beside her.

The nurse answered for him, "He'll be more comfortable this way, and since he was already examined in the ER he really won't have much need to disrobe unless it ends up not being what the doctor downstairs thought it would be. The doctor should be in in a few minutes." and with that she left, pulling the door to, but not completely shut.

They were all quiet for a few moments, and Mac pulled up a chair for Mattie and then one for herself.

"How ya feeling?" Mac asked just to get rid of the silence that had come to reside in the room.

"Same, so far." He was quiet for a minute and the added "You two don't have to stay; you can head back to the apartment if you want to. I don't think they are going to let me out of here for at least a few hours if not the rest of the day, and you still have practice later Mattie. Maybe you can salvage some sleep before then."

"It's completely up to you Mattie. If you want to head home I'll take you back and then to your practice later, if you would rather stay, we'll stay." Truthfully Mac had rather of stayed, but if Mattie really wanted to go to her practice then she'd take her, since she knew that Harm was here. She didn't think Mattie would want to leave though, at least not until they knew for sure what was wrong with Harm.

"No." the teen said immediately, "No, I'd rather stay here."

Harm went to object, but before he could Mattie stopped him, "I want to stay here with you Harm. There will be a ton more practices." The tone in her voice made his rebuttal stop completely, only asking "You sure? It won't bother me any."

Firmly she answered, "Yes, I'm sure. You'd stay with me."

It was true; he would stay if she was in the hospital for any reason, and all three occupants knew it too. That's just who Harm was.

Silence reigned again, but not for long. The door slid open again, and in walked a man about Mac's height in a white coat with file in hand.

"Good morning, Commander Rabb is it?"

Harm nodded.

"I'm Dr. Thomas Wells." He said extending his hand to Harm, then to Mac.

"Colonel Mackenzie and this is Mattie Grace, his ward." she said indicating Mattie, as he shook the teen's hand as well.

He turned back to Harm and asked "Would you like them to stay for this or step out for a few minutes?"

"They can stay." he said, then thinking turned towards the pair and said, "As long as you want to."

They nodded without hesitation.

"Okay." The doctor nodded and then looked down at the file he had opened. "Well, Commander, says in your chart that you've had a fever the past two day, fatigue, vomiting and dry heaving, and back and abdominal pain, all of which has worsened during last night." He looked at his weary patient, and when he nodded he continued. "Also says that you mentioned a burning sensation occurring on two different occasions while urinating two weeks ago?" Harm only nodded again.

Mattie was sitting there with her eyes widened at what she had just heard. He obviously needed to go the doctor before now. She had known nothing of the last few things that the doctor had mentioned.

"Dr. Osborne checked you back and abdomen downstairs correct?" Another nod followed.

The doctor flipped a page up, and addressed Harm again. "He noted that you had indicated an area where it was painful to touch. I'd just like to check it myself, just to make sure and see if I feel anything different." He laid closed the file, laying it down on the stand next to the bed, and moving to lower the head of the bed just that same as the ER doctor had. "If you wouldn't mind lying on you stomach Commander for just a few minutes." Harm did as asked, turning his head and putting his hands right above his head just like before. The doctor raised Harm's shirt, and laid his hands overtop each other on Harm's back, right where the indicated area was on Harm's file.

As soon as he put pressure on it Harm winced and tensed his back.

"Try to relax your back, Commander." The doctor moved his hands a little lower and on the areas around the painful area asking if any of it hurt, and if so more or less than the first spot. Done with that side he asked "Does it hurt in the same area on the other side or is it just on this side?"

"Both." Harm answered quietly. He wasn't liking this exam any better than the first, but at least it wasn't making his stomach churn like last time.

The doctor felt around on the other side, announcing that Harm could turn over and sit up again when he was through.

"I have to concur with Dr. Osborne. I believe, Commander, that you've developed a complicated urinary tract infection. We'll have to wait for the results on the urinalysis that we need to run on you, but I'd say that's what you have."

Harm wasn't sure if he liked the sound of that or not, but any one in the room could see that Mac and Mattie didn't. But again, before Mac could get her question out some one else entered the room.

"Dr. Wells," the nurse who put in Harm's IV said "Mrs. Jackson has come out of surgery, and she and her family are waiting in her room for you." Nodding, he turned back to his patient.

"In half an hour the nurse will check with you about collecting a sample." He gestured to the stand next to Mac that had yellow pitcher and a white cup on it. "Try to drink some, but don't drink so much that it makes you throw it back up immediately. You have a bathroom right there." he said as he pointed at a closed door. "I'll be back as soon as we get the test results back. It shouldn't be long." and just the same as the ER doctor he was out the door.

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Okay, I finally got that done. It actually didn't take me as long as the previous chapter; once I started I got on a roll. Meant to get it done yesterday, but my home comp. likes to torture me. It has this new trick to where you can't leave it on without being on it, and you can't leave it plugged up either or else it cuts itself off when it's not in use and refuses to be turned back on for a while. Or sometimes if I leave it plugged in and off, it'll turn on and start up and everything, and then right when I'm settling in cuts itself off. Needless to say I wasn't very happy yesterday when it did the latter to me, but I worked through it late in the evening and finally got it to cooperate again. (supposed to be getting it fixed soon) So I didn't finish the chapter yesterday, but it's here today! I so love school comps. where if something goes wrong with them it's not my problem. I just get on another, lol!

I decided, after someone brought it to my attention (that's why I like reviews, ya'll catch my errors for me), that it should be a local hospital for various reasons. Until I can load up a new chapter three with the correct changes, just erase Bethesda from your mind and replace it with 'the closest local hospital to Harm's apt.'.

I'm going to work on the next chapter to night, and figure on putting it up tomorrow sometime. I'm thinking maybe, if all goes well I might get a chapter up on Sat. too. That would make three chapters in a row! Wouldn't that be great! Now watch, something will end up intervening, but hey that's life.

Just like always, if you notice anything wrong or that doesn't seem write in my writing let me know, that's the best way for me to improve. Sometimes I just don't notice it until way later or some one points it out to me. Oh and if you find yourself with any questions when you read the story that I just don't seem to explain enough for you give me a holler. It's all like a picture reel in my head when I type it, kinda like a lil movie, so sometimes I forget that I'm the only one privy to what I know about the story and forget to include some details, and sometimes I leave them out intentionally cause I don't feel they are as needed. But anyways! Hope you enjoy it! Later!

-skyred


	5. Chapter 5

Because I want to put this up soon, all disclaimers and everything that normally goes at the top is in previous chapter.

Just so you are pre-warned, this has not even been read over by me, much less a beta!

Here ya go!

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From last ch.:

"_I have to concur with Dr. Osborne. I believe, Commander, that you've developed a complicated urinary tract infection. We'll have to wait for the results on the urinalysis that we need to run on you, but I'd say that's what you have." _

_Harm wasn't sure if he liked the sound of that or not, but any one in the room could see that Mac and Mattie didn't. But again, before Mac could get her question out some one else entered the room. _

"_Dr. Wells," the nurse who put in Harm's IV said "Mrs. Jackson has come out of surgery, and she and her family are waiting in her room for you." Nodding, he turned back to his patient. _

"_In half an hour the nurse will check with you about collecting a sample." He gestured to the stand next to Mac that had yellow pitcher and a white cup on it. "Try to drink some, but don't drink so much that it makes you throw it back up immediately. You have a bathroom right there." he said as he pointed at a closed door. "I'll be back as soon as we get the test results back. It shouldn't be long." and just the same as the ER doctor he was out the door. _

Mac had pulled up chairs for both her and Mattie to sit in, but neither was seated in them for long. Mac had asked Mattie to go down to the cafeteria to grab some breakfast for the both of them. She had handed the teen some money and told her she should ask one of the nurses if food was allowed to be brought back up. Harm was silently thanking Mac for doing that, because the instant Mattie was out the door he was moving to get out of the bed and into the bathroom. He realized Mac must have known how he was feeling before she found a need for Mattie to conveniently leave the room, since as soon as he moved she was already there waiting to help him.

Dragging the stand for him, Mac helped Harm into the bathroom where the sounds of his dry heaving could be heard. As she helped him back to the bed, she wished she could make it stop for him.

He sighed as he settled back in bed, grateful that the heaving, while still present, wasn't occurring as often as it did in his apartment. He laid on his side facing Mac, too tired to do anything else. Fortunately for Mac, this gave her the perfect time to have a few of her questions and concerns answered in quiet.

Sitting in the chair in front of him, she watched him for a moment. His eyes had slowly drifted closed, and sitting there watching him she couldn't help but think how handsome he looked even considering how sick he was. He had aged, but to her he would always look good. Sometimes, though, in the chaos that was their lives she lost track of seeing it. She wondered if maybe that wasn't how things between them had gotten as bad as they had. Blinking her eyes she cleared her head of those thoughts, vowing to come back to them. For now, she was more concerned about how he was in the present than in the rift between them and exactly how it had gotten there.

She leaned forward in her chair "Harm?"

"Hmm?" He mummbled with closed eyes.

She reached across him and pulled the covers up a little higher on him. "Do you know what the doctor meant when he said that it was a complicated UTI?"

He paused for a moment before answering her. " I know what a UTI is, but I don't know about the complicated part. Do you?"

"No. That's why I was asking you." She sighed, now worried that something might be really wrong with him.

He shifted a little, trying to get the pain in his back to stop or at least ease up some. Giving up he sighed. "I think there's something wrong with me." he groaned. Her head shot up to look at his turned face. Mac was just about to get up and get someone when he spoke up again. "I spend way too much time in hospitals. I mean how much time does a normal person spend in or at the hospital?" Relaxing, Mac had to smile at that.

"You do seem to have some kind of weird attraction to them in the years I've known you." she replied smirking.

He cracked an eye open to look at her grinning at him. He grinned too, "Yeah, " he gave a soft chuckle, "I would say that you were the reason, but I even ended up in them way before I met you. Even as a kid I saw hospitals more than I probably should have. So I guess I can't say that you caused it." His eyes drifted closed again, as if he didn't have the energy to hold them open.

She wanted to ask him about that little part of his history that she didn't know about, but decided against it, afraid it might bring up bad memories for him. He was already in enough misery. She didn't want to add to it. Instead, without giving a thought to what she was doing, she lifted her left hand to his forehead, brushing her fingers across it and through the front of his hair.

His body relaxed some at the feeling. "Mom used to do that when I was sick." he said it so softly she almost missed it. "It always made me feel better." His mother had also done it the few times she had been witness to him crying as a child, but the male in him wasn't going to tell that anyone, especially not to the woman right in front of him, at least not at this moment in time.

Soothingly she asked "Is it helping any now?"

"Yeah, I could fall asleep." he murmured.

"Sleep then Harm. Mattie and I will be here."

She watched as his body finally allowed him to drop off. She continued brushing her hand through his hair for a few more minutes, happy to be able to do something that might help him.

She had missed the way their friendship used to be, the casualness of just being around each other, the banter they shared. She wasn't sure why, but some of seemed to be coming back again. Maybe he had missed it too.

Sitting back in her chair, she looked over his sleeping form, thinking back over the events that caused their friendship to spiral downward to pretty much nothingness. She hated how things had ended up. She realized in Paraguay that he was trying to show her something from his heart, but at the time she was scared, and upset, and mad, and confused. It wasn't aimed just at him, but at everything and everyone. He just happened to be the one closest. At the time, her life in general just seemed to be in such an upheaval that she just wasn't sure what to do anymore. So she tried to simplify it. She should have known better, nothing in her life was ever straight forward and simple. She just wished she could take everything back, like rewind time and do things differently. But there is no rewind button. She couldn't go back, couldn't change things. All she could do now was work at fixing things.

His small groan drew her from her thoughts. She watched as he shifted to his back and settled back into sleep again.

Ten minutes later Mattie pushed the door ajar and peaked in. "Mac," she whispered to get the Marine's attention. When Mac looked over to the girl Mattie lifted something up in her hand. "The nurse said I could bring something in as long as the patient wasn't bothered by it. It's just a ham sandwich and a soda."

Mac nodded to the girl and motioned her over. "Shouldn't bother him any. He's asleep anyways." Handing Mac the wrapped sandwich and can, she sat next to her.

"Shouldn't the nurse be by soon?"

"Yeah, six or seven minutes, but I doubt they will be on time." She unwrapped the sandwich and took a bite. It was a little early for breakfast for her, and a ham sandwich wasn't on her usual A.M. menu, but she ate anyways.

"Has he been asleep long?" Mattie asked with a yawn.

Mac shook her head no as she took another bite. Chewing a few times and swallowing she said " Maybe ten minutes. At least he's finally getting some sleep." She looked to Harm and then back at Mattie, noticing the girl trying to conceal another yawn. She set her sandwich to the side, "Why don't you try to get some sleep too. I know these chairs aren't that comfortable, but you could get some sleep."

"I want to be awake for Harm."

"He's asleep, and hopefully will stay that way until the nurse gets here. You know he's want you to get some sleep if you could. Especially if he's just going to sleep." She stood walking to the end of his bed and picked up the extra blanket on the end. "Besides, he knows your here, and I know that means the world to him." She smiled at Mattie, and draped the blanket over the girl, who's eyes were already drooping closed.

"Ok, just for a lil while."

Mac sat back down in her chair, taking her spot by his bed.

Mac had been right. The nurse was late, nearly half an hour late. Both Harm and Mattie were still sleeping, but Mac knew it wouldn't last much longer for Harm. He had already turned back onto his side, and curled a little, his arm wrapped around his middle again. As much as Mac wanted to let Harm sleep, she knew they hadn't given him anything but fluids yet, and as much as he needed to rest, he needed his fever down and his stomach to calm more. Just as she had made her mind up to go and get a nurse about running his test, one walked in. The middle-aged nurse flipped the light on, illuminating the room, but the two slumbering didn't stir.

As the nurse picked up his chart reading through it to make sure she had the right patient, Mac reached over and rubbed her hand up and down his arm, calling his name softly. "Harm... Harm, wake up..." his eyes fluttered open, and looked up at her, "the nurse is here to run your test, sailor." He only nodded.

"Good Morning Commander Rabb. I'm Nurse Fields. Dr. Wells has you marked down for a urinalysis. I know you probably don't want to move right now, but we're going to need you too."

Mac woke Mattie up as the nurse explained to Harm the test. Moving their chairs out of the way, Mac helped Harm to sit up and stand. Seeing that Mac had her patient, the nurse stood by the doorway to the bathroom. Handing him the cup she told him, "Just leave it on the counter and I'll be back in a few minutes to get it." Again he only nodded, and continued on into the bathroom. Once inside Mac handed him the IV stand.

"On your own on this part sailor." He grinned, replying "I think I can handle it from here."

She smirked at him, then quickly went back to being serious. "Call me if you need any help." Normally he would have made a comment about what she had just said, but he knew that she was worried about him, so all he did was toss her a smile and nod.

She turned and walked out shutting the door behind her and giving him his privacy.

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I know it's really short, but I wanted something up there. There will be another chapter tomorrow. Thank you all who gave me prods to get another chapter up. The only thing they didn't help with was a little writer's block, but hey I worked through it. I still plan for this to be a kind of series, but no concrete plans as of yet, except that I will complete it (hopefully not for a while, as I hope it to be quite long). I really appreaciate all the reviews I got from the last chapter! and now it's time for me to get in bed, and get some shut eye myself.

'Til tomorrow!

-skyred


	6. Chapter 6

_From Ch. 5:_

all disclaimers in first ch. and all AN in the next ch.

Oh and this has sadly not been beta read, and I've only read through part of it quickly so most of my mistakes you'll just have to take pity on me for!

Hope you enjoy!

_From Ch. 5:_

_As the nurse picked up his chart reading through it to make sure she had the right patient, Mac reached over and rubbed her hand up and down his arm, calling his name softly. "Harm... Harm, wake up..." his eyes fluttered open, and looked up at her, "the nurse is here to run your test, sailor." He only nodded._

_"Good Morning Commander Rabb. I'm Nurse Fields. Dr. Wells has you marked down for a urinalysis. I know you probably don't want to move right now, but we're going to need you too."_

_Mac woke Mattie up as the nurse explained to Harm the test. Moving their chairs out of the way, Mac helped Harm to sit up and stand. Seeing that Mac had her patient, the nurse stood by the doorway to the bathroom. Handing him the cup she told him, "Just leave it on the counter and I'll be back in a few minutes to get it." Again he only nodded, and continued on into the bathroom. Once inside Mac handed him the IV stand._

_"On your own on this part sailor." He grinned, replying "I think I can handle it from here."_

_She smirked at him, then quickly went back to being serious. "Call me if you need any help." Normally he would have made a comment about what she had just said, but he knew that she was worried about him, so all he did was toss her a smile and nod._

_She turned and walked out shutting the door behind her and giving him his privacy._

He took longer than she thought he should, but understood why when she heard the toilet flush again. She hated that his stomach had yet again revolted when their wasn't even anything in it to force out, but she figured it was good that it happened while he was already up. Now maybe he could get more than an hour of sleep. At least she was hopeful he would.

Mac helped him back into bed, while Mattie pushed the tree stand back near the head of the bed. Harm's eyes closed again as Mac and Mattie sat back down. Not long after Mattie's eyes closed as well. Mac sat for a while awake, just staring at her best friend, but eventually even she drifted off.

It was two and a half hours later when the sound of a man's voice awoke her. Realizing it wasn't Harm's voice, she sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Colonel, I have Commander Rabb's test results back." She nodded and reached over to wake Mattie up, knowing full well that the girl would want to hear what the doctor had to say.

As soon as Mattie opened her eyes and realized that a doctor was standing there she panicked. "What's wrong? Has something happened? Is he okay?" You would have thought that she had been awake for hours the way she spit the sentences out so quickly.

Noticing that Mac was working on waking Harm up, who didn't seem to want to wake up, the doctor tried to calm the young woman. "It's okay ma'am. Nothing has happened. I've gotten the test results back and thought that you and the Colonel would like to hear them as well." Mattie instantly relaxed when the doctor had mentioned that nothing was wrong, only to tense back up again when her brain realized that he had the test results.

Harm slowly awakened from sleep. "Harm, the doctor's here." Mac's soft voice reached his ears. Not completely awake yet, his mind transported him back in time, to a time when he was in a hospital for something much worse. A time when it was his mother by his bed speaking those words and not Mac; a time when he hadn't even known Mac. Soon enough, though, his brain clicked into gear, and his aches and pains quickly reminded him of why he was in the hospital.

He scooted up in bed so he could sit up somewhat as Mac raised the head of the bed for him. As soon as he was settled the doctor spoke to him.

"Well, our guess was right Commander. You have a complicated UTI." Before he could say anything else Mac interrupted him with the one question that had been bugging her since the ER doctor had come to the same conclusion.

"What exactly to you mean by complicated Dr. Wells? I know what a UTI is, but I've never heard of one being complicated."

The doctor merely nodded. "In this case, complicated is used in two references. One is that since it's not very common for men to have urinary tract infections, and usually when they do there can be more problems than normal, medicine usually uses this term when referring to men having a UTI. The other has to do with his symptoms." The doctor looked from Mac to Harm. "UTI symptoms don't usually include a fever, vomiting, and back pain. Also the pain you indicated when I pressed on your kidneys isn't a symptom of a UTI. When these are exhibited we normally look towards a kidney infection. It's medical name is Pyelonephritis, or a complicated UTI. The infection has spread from your urinary tract to your kidneys."

A wide-eyed and worried Mattie chimed in this time. "But wouldn't that mean that he would have had to have the infection for a lot longer than just the past few days?"

"He has probably had the UTI for a little while." He didn't get any further before Mac spoke, "But wouldn't he have noticed it? Wouldn't he have showed symptoms of it before now?"

"Not really. Often, many urinary tract infections don't show many or sometimes any symptoms at all. The burning sensations he described would be the only one that his body showed, and as you heard earlier he only noticed it twice before. It could be worse; the infection could have spread to his prostate, and that Commander wouldn't be very fun for you."

For the first time since the doctor had started talking Harm's face took a look of that could only be described as slight terror. Shaking his head he said, "No, that sounds like the furthest thing from pleasant. I'm _sure_ I would have noticed that." The doctor smiled a little and nodded.

"As for now, your going to be staying here for at least a couple of hours if not days, and we'll start you on some antibiotics as well as give you some painkillers for you back and fever. Oh and something to help with the vomiting. If the antibiotics we try work we might be able to let you go today."

Mac's mind had been reeling since being told what Harm had. She knew kidneys were very sensitive organs, and the worry she had over any problems with his kidneys just could not be stopped until she asked for herself.

"Doctor, is there going to be any problems or damage to his kidneys from this?"

He gave her a comforting look, "There shouldn't be any. I'm not going to say that the infection couldn't take a turn for the worse; even in routine surgery there is no guarantee, but the kidney infection seems to have been caught pretty quick seeing as when the symptoms started. I don't think we'll have any problems. The only catch there should be is if the first antibiotics we give him don't work against the bacteria. If that happens then we'll just try a different one. In men, it's usually a little trickier to find the right antibiotic than in females, and he'll have to be on them for a good amount of time, just to make sure that it doesn't spread to his prostate."

"I'll take whatever you want to keep that from happening." Harm piped in, making Dr. Wells, Mac, and Mattie laugh.

"I would too, Commander. Before I go, do you have any more questions?"

The one thing that had been bugging Harm from the beginning popped up in his mind and out of his mouth, "How would I have gotten the urinary infection doctor?"  
"Well there are a few ways. Have you been sexually active or had a catheter in the past six months?"

"No."

"Do you frequently have to wait for an extended period of time before being able to use the restroom?"

"No, not that I can think of."

"Drink plenty of water?"

"Usually."

"Your records don't have anything about any diseases, disorders, or abnormalities with you urinary tract. Sometimes these things just happen Commander. I don't think it was anything you did really. If it comes back again we'll look further into it. Try to get some rest Commander."

Harm nodded. "Thanks doc."

As the doctor left, Mac reached over and lowered the head of the bed for Harm. He was grateful too. Normally he would have thrown her a comment about not being tired, but he just didn't feel like it. The way he felt just plain sucked, and he normally wasn't one of those type of guys that got all whiny because of a cold or something of the like, but he honestly felt like he had been run over by a truck, and the truck had stopped and backed up just for the hell of it. He just wasn't going to admit to Mac that he actually felt that bad, especially not with Mattie there too. It would just cause Mattie to worry more.

Plus he figured that whatever the doctor was going to give him would change that soon enough. That's what he was hoping anyways.


	7. Chapter 7

all disclaimers in first chapter!

danger! danger reader! danger! not been beta read!

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_From Ch. 6:_

_As the doctor left, Mac reached over and lowered the head of the bed for Harm. He was grateful too. Normally he would have thrown her a comment about not being tired, but he just didn't feel like it. The way he felt just plain sucked, and he normally wasn't one of those type of guys that got all whiny because of a cold or something of the like, but he honestly felt like he had been run over by a truck, and the truck had stopped and backed up just for the hell of it. He just wasn't going to admit to Mac that he actually felt that bad, especially not with Mattie there too. It would just cause Mattie to worry more. _

_Plus he figured that whatever the doctor was going to give him would change that soon enough. That's what he was hoping anyways._

While Harm dozed the nurse came in again. She checked his chart and his wrist bracelet to make sure he was who he was supposed to be, and then walked over to his IV. Mac watched her. "What are you giving him?" Mac asked when the nurse injected something into the line. Picking up the next injection she replied, "That was for the vomiting and fever. This one is the antibiotics the doctor ordered." Injecting the one she held she turned and picked up the other one, marked something on his chart before she turned to Mac and Mattie.  
"Is there anything I can get either of you or anything that he needs?"

Mac looked over at Harm; he seemed to have all he wanted at the moment as he lay sleeping in the hospital bed. She looked over at Mattie, "Nothing I can think of. Do you need anything?"

Mattie shook her head. "No, I'm good."

Mac smiled at the nurse and thanked her for asking.

"Okay then, if you do need anything or have any questions I'm right up the hall at the nurses station."

Mac and Mattie chatted for a while, talking about Mattie's school, how she was trying to improve her relationship with her Dad, and a few other topics. When Mattie yawned Mac told her that she might as well do the same as Harm was doing and get some rest. Mattie was soon out.

Mac got up and used the bathroom, and then walked down the hall to a window at the other end to stretch her legs a little. The sun was up, had been for a hours her mind told her. She hadn't noticed though, not with all that had been going on and worrying about Harm. Walking back to the room, she paused in the doorway. She just stood there and just watched the slumbering pair in the room.

Harm and Mattie both slept straight through lunch, and Mac eventually joined them in sleep. Around four she was forced out of sleep by movement. It took her a moment to realize where she was and what had woken her up. Harm was awake and currently trying to ease his way out of the bed. "What are you doing Harm?"

He looked up startled for a moment. He had tried his best not to wake her or Mattie. "Just trying to get up to use the bathroom." He paused and looked over at Mattie. "I tried to be quiet so you two could sleep. You and Mattie really should go back to my apartment and sleep; you two don't have to stay. I'm fine."

"I know, but Mattie and I both want to, and besides I wouldn't sleep very well knowing that you were here by yourself…. I mean think of all the trouble you could cause, someone's got to be here to make sure you behave with the poor nurses." she gave him a quick smile, hoping that maybe she had caught herself in time. He gave her a soft snort, and pushed himself up to stand, "Right now, I think they are more dangerous to me than I am to them." She quickly reached out to steady him as he swayed on his feet a little.

"What did they give me?" He grabbed his IV stand and started to walk towards the bathroom.

"I don't know exactly what it was, just what it was for. The nurse put two injections into your IV line. She said the first was to stop the vomiting and lower you fever, and the second was just the antibiotics."

"Well whatever it was knocked me out like a light and is trying to keep me out. I feel like I could sleep for a week."

"Ah, but your bladder disagrees flyboy." she teased.

He only smiled as he closed the door.

When he came back out she helped him back into bed. "What time is it anyways?"

"4:20"

"In the evening!"

"Yeah, why?"

"Go get the nurse" he was cut off by her immediate concern. "Why? Is something wrong or is anything hurting?" She went to stand, but he reached for her wrist when she got half way up.

"Easy Mac. Nothing's wrong, and while my back and stomach are still hurting some I'm fine. I was just going to say to get the nurse and ask her for my release papers. I need to get out of here. Mattie has school in the morning and we both have work."

"Harm, no. I can take Mattie to school, but you aren't going to work." He gives her a look that just screams 'oh really?'.

"And just why exactly not, Marine?"

"Because Harm, your sick, or did you just not hear the part where the doctor said you were."

"I did, but it's nothing that I can spread around, so I see no reason why I can't go to work. It's not like I'm going to run a marathon there. All I've got for the first half of the week is enough paperwork to kill an elephant." It was the truth too. With all the backlog of cases, the paperwork tended to be forgotten about until it all got piled up and had to be done. Unfortunately Harm had done exactly that.

"He said infection sailor. That's an excessive growth of the wrong type of bacteria in your body, not just some cold. I believe he also mentioned the little fact that it's in your _kidneys_. That's not something to mess around with."

"I have to agree with the Colonel here Commander. It's definitely not something you want to take lightly."

At the sound of the new voice, both Harm and Mac's heads turned to the source. Dr. Wells was standing in the room with a serious look on his face.

"While it might not be serious right now, it's not something that you really want to get worse. As it is I should probably keep you in the hospital for a few more days, but since your fever is down and the heaving has stopped, I figured you might like to do your recuperating in your own home. I really wouldn't be doing this, but a lot more patients have come in throughout the day, and since all we can do is watch you I thought that maybe one or both of these nice ladies here would take my place. I don't think it in your best interest however for you to try to go to work at all for probably about a week. You really don't need to be doing much."

"I'm just a lawyer, Dr. Wells, I wouldn't be doing much of anything physical."

"That may be so Commander, but your immune system is trying to fight the infection and if your body doesn't get the rest it needs it's not going to be able to. Then your going to be right back here, and for a lot longer of a time." He paused for a moment to see if there would be any argument. There was none. The only thing he saw was the Colonel shoot the Commander a look.

"I brought your release papers, Commander, but with conditions." Handing Harm the clipboard of papers he continued. "Because of the type of infection and the medications we are giving you, you really shouldn't be alone."

"That won't be a problem Doctor." Mac said, causing Harm's head to turn to the side to look at her, but she paid no attention.

"You need to stay on the antibiotics for three weeks, and then get rechecked by your doctor. Otherwise you risk the infection spreading. Your doctor may put you on more antibiotics if he feels it necessary. If you start vomiting again or your fever goes up, come back in immediately. The antibiotics may not be working as well as we hoped or it may be a reaction to the medications."

"What about the pain in his back and stomach? He said that it has gone a way completely."

"It wouldn't have. We didn't give him any painkillers. For the most part it should go away in a few days. If it doesn't or it gets worse he needs to come back in, especially if it gets worse in his back. It could be a sign of a problem in his kidneys, or that it is spreading to his prostate. Other than that drink plenty of clear fluids and rest. Any questions?"

"No, thanks doctor." Harm handed the signed sheets back to Dr. Wells.

"Then your free to go Commander. The nurse will be in in a few minutes to remove the IV. I hope you feels better soon Commander."

Twenty minutes later the nurse arrived. Another twenty and they had woken Mattie up and were headed out to Harm's vehicle and on their way back to his apartment.

On the way home Mattie had asked what she had missed, and Mac filled her in, making sure to mention that the doctor had said it wasn't a good idea for Harm to go back to work for another week.

Harm and Mattie had argued on the way home about her going to school the next day. Harm had won, but only after saying that Mac would be there to watch like the doctor said. Mac had hide a smile when he said it. She knew that when they actually got to his apartment he would tell her that he would be fine by himself tomorrow and that she should just go on to work, but there was no way she was letting that happen. She finally felt that they might be able to get back the something-more-than-friends-but-just-friends relationship that they had before the whole Paraguay thing. She wasn't going to risk that now by leaving him, and especially not to his own devices. No, she was going to stay with him this time.

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I meant for that to have more, but my numbskull of a friend had me doing his math homework because he left campus and went on back to his nice warm and cozy home before he remembered that it was due tonight before midnight! So I had to finish his and mine, which has literally killed any brain cells that I have left at this time of night. The sad part is I've always been pretty good at algebra all throughout public school, but now that we are reviewing it in college algebra I've hit this one part where I'd rather jump off a cliff than spend the time trying to work it out, not to mention it has to be done on this online comp. program!

Anyways! Enough venting! I want to thank all of you who reviewed, and the ones that came back and asked if I was alright and still planning to finish the story. I really appreciate your concerns! I didn't realize that so many of you were following my story. Makes me want to write it all out right now, cause I know how it feels to want a new JAG fic and to have it continued (that could be a hint to writers out there, but I ain't saying!  ). No matter how long it takes me, I will finish this story. Hopefully I have more time than I have, but I wouldn't count on a new chapter each day. I wish I could do that though. What happened was a number of things that can be summed up in one word :school. Specifically college. I changed my major last semester to theatre, with a minor in writing because it required a minor. Of course I would be one to choose a major that takes up a lot of time if you are serious about it, so I had to move so I actually lived in the same city and state as my college. (lil advice for future collegiates: an hour commute to campus and then an hour back home just plain sucks!) I moved up before school started, got myself collected, thought I'd stay on top of things, and what happens the first and second week of school-everything piles up and you barely have enough time to do school work, much less anything else. Especially since it's now fend for yourself type of living, with none of the luxuries of home at my new home, except for my tapes of JAG! They've been keeping me going!

Even though they keep me busy, I love my classes for my major. If I could just get rid of the basic general education classes that are required, I'd be so happy. Oh and of course if I could just not have to work for the money to pay for rent and gas and food, I'd be in heaven, but oh well. (Oh I forgot to mention I picked up a new job on campus, for one night a week which I'm not happy about. I get to call alumni and chat and then say 'hey WKU wants to know if they can have more of you money in form of a nice lil donation?', but in a very nice and subtle way.)

So that's what's been happening. It should settle down soon, and even if it doesn't I'll still post something, just might take me a while. Thanks for all your reviews and your concerns! Oh and majorus (Sue), you can breath now! Lol 

Til later!

-skyred


	8. Chapter 8

TFAF Ch. 8

Rating-all age as far as I'm concerned

Disclaimer: Hey, what do ya know! I finally own Harm and Mac and Bud and….huh? You mean I'm dreamim' again? Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.

AN: Thanks for all your wonderful reviews! Sorry I haven't posted until now!

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_From Ch. 7:_

_Twenty minutes later the nurse arrived. Another twenty and they had woken Mattie up and were headed out to Harm's vehicle and on their way back to his apartment. _

_On the way home Mattie had asked what she had missed, and Mac filled her in, making sure to mention that the doctor had said it wasn't a good idea for Harm to go back to work for another week. _

_Harm and Mattie had argued on the way home about her going to school the next day. Harm had won, but only after saying that Mac would be there to watch like the doctor said. Mac had hide a smile when he said it. She knew that when they actually got to his apartment he would tell her that he would be fine by himself tomorrow and that she should just go on to work, but there was no way she was letting that happen. She finally felt that they might be able to get back the something-more-than-friends-but-just-friends relationship that they had before the whole Paraguay thing. She wasn't going to risk that now by leaving him, and especially not to his own devices. No, she was going to stay with him this time._

Harm was so glad to finally be back home. He hated hospitals, not that he thought that any one in their right mind was very fond of being in the hospital. As soon as they had gotten off of the elevator and in his door Mac had set course for his bedroom. Mattie had asked if he needed anything and if he was alright before heading off to finish her paper and then to sleep.

While Mac went to get him something to drink, Harm stripped down to his boxers and slid under the covers of his bed. He may have slept almost all day, but he was still tired. He was content to just lay there in his comfortable bed with his soft pillow. His eyes drifted closed as his body tried to relax. He heard Mac's soft footsteps coming up the steps and to the side of his bed; he felt the bed dip as she sat down quietly on the edge.

Opening his eyes he looked up at her. "Hey."

"Hey." she said. "I brought your medicine."

He nodded and shifted to sit up. She handed him a glass and the pills. Swallowing them, he put the glass on his nightstand, and lay back down on his back. "Thanks Mac, for helping with Mattie and for staying. I appreciate it."

"That's what friends are for."

Harm smiled at her. He realized she truly meant it. They were still friends, even though they weren't as close as they used to be they still were in a way. It was the connection that they had had since the day that they met, and it had only strengthened as time had thrown things in their way. At least that's the only reason that he could find that they were still willing to hang around each other after all the things that had happened between them and to them. His thoughts were cut short by the annoying pain that was still stabbing at his back and stomach. He shifted to try to alleviate at least some of it.

She watched as he moved. She had no idea what it felt like to have a kidney infection, but if it was making him that uncomfortable she knew that it must be very unpleasant. He stilled on his side facing her, finding that to be the most comfortable.

"Still hurting?"

"A little." he replied.

"I'm sorry." she said sincerely.

She reached down to feel his temperature.

"Mac,"

"What?"

"Your hand is still not a very good thermometer." he said with a smile and then groaned.

"And I think that's my que to let you get some rest. I'm going to see what I can find for our supper."

"I don't think there is anything in my fridge for a Marine to eat. You can order out; there's a chinese place and a deli around the corner. Both deliver. The numbers are on my fridge, but don't worry about finding me anything. I don't think my stomach is accepting food just yet."

"I'll get something in case you feel like eating later or maybe tomorrow. Rest."

10:00 pm

North of Union Station

Mac checked in on Harm again, finding him still asleep she went back to the kitchen to put up the food she'd ordered from the deli. She had hoped he would feel better enough to eat, but he'd slept straight through the evening only stirring to groan and shift.

Sitting down on the couch she looked out the window lost in her thoughts. Thoughts that had been persistently turning up in her brain more often recently. Thoughts of the past, and the future, but most importantly thoughts of now. Everything was still so jumbled for her, and she wasn't sure that would change for her any time soon, but at least it seemed like she had her friend back. Maybe he never really completely left. Instead it felt like a much needed vacation or quest for them. Maybe that's why Harm left in the first place. He needed to find out what he wanted. She wasn't sure what that was, but she was glad to have him back. Now if only she could figure out what she wanted in her life as well.

A yawn interrupted her thoughts. She heard him move in bed again, and decided it was time to hit the sack herself. She got ready for bed, slid in next to him, and soon joined him in sleep.

Her sleep didn't last for long though. Three hours later Harm was restless again. She awoke to find him constantly shifting, trying to find a comfortable spot to sleep in. She reached over and felt of his forehead while he was lying on his side facing her. She sighed; his fever had gone up again. Sliding back the covers, she got out of the bed and into the kitchen. She returned a few minutes later with some pills and a glass of water.

"Harm... Harm, wake up. Come on flyboy."

Groan.

"I know you would rather just sleep Harm, but your not going to sleep very well tossing and turning all night."

Another groan, but at least this time it was accompanied by him turning over peeking his eyes open.

"Is it morning already?" he asked drowsily.

"No, not yet, but your tossing enough to wake the dead."

"I'm sorry Mac, I didn't mean to wake you."

"It was just in time for more medicine, so for once you had perfect timing."

"Very funny."  
"I thought so. Now sit up."

"Aye aye ma'am."

"Now look who's being funny."

He slowly sat up leaning back against the headboard, and accepted the pills from her hand. Handing her back the glass he asked "So what time is it anyways?"

"01:30."

"Mm. At least I had the morning part right." he replied as he closed his eyes. She brought her hand to his forehead again, feeling of it, and then brought it back down, caressing his cheek along the way. Before it could reach the bed, Harm's reached out and caught her's in his big one. He laced his fingers through hers and brought it to lie on his leg, just holding it. It felt so natural to her, almost like her hand belonged there.

"I don't know if I've thanked you yet for being here, for Mattie and for me, but thanks. I really do appreciate it." She just smiled, looking down at their hands.

"Don't worry about it. If our roles were reversed, you would have been there for me. But your welcome anyways." She looked back up, "Do you need anything else or you ready for sleep?"

"Hunh, definitely sleep. I still feel like I could sleep a week."

"Well after the amount of throwing up you did last night, I'd feel the same way."

"Don't remind me." he said as he laid back down, turning towards the middle as Mac moved to get in on the other side. His eyes closed as she slid beneath the covers, and by the time she turned to face him he had fallen back asleep. She was quickly following him. The days events finally catching up to her, she softly whispered, "Sleep well, flyboy." before she too was asleep.

At seven, Mac woke up again. This time it wasn't Harm who woke her up, but nature instead. After using the bathroom and brushing her hair, Mac made her way to the kitchen to make some coffee and see what she could find for breakfast. She had just put the coffee on when she heard a knocking on the door. Before she could start walking towards the door, she heard Mattie's soft "Mac?" She wondered what the teen was doing up at seven in the morning as she answered her. "Yeah Mattie, come on in." Mac turned back to the cabinets in front of her, and opened them in search of something to eat.

"There are bagels in the one to your right."

"Thanks. So what are you doing up at this time of the morning? I thought teenagers were notorious for sleeping late, or at least they were when I was one."

Mattie smiled. "We still are, but school says that we must get up at an unreasonable hour so we can go and sit for hours listening to teachers talk all day long. Some how they call that learning."

Mac just had to laugh at that, the girl had even said it entirely with a smile.

"I just thought I would come by and see how Harm was, and say bye before I head to the bus stop."

"He's still asleep. I'm sure he wouldn't mind you waking him up though."

She opened the fridge to see what she could put on the bagel, still processing some of what Mattie had said. Mattie had turned towards Harm's bedroom, but stopped when Mac called her.

"Hey Mattie…" Mattie turned towards her, "doesn't Harm or Jen usually take you to school?"

"Yeah, but sometimes I ride the bus when they can't."

"I can take you if you'd like. Harm's probably going to sleep anyways."

"Sure, if it's no trouble. I mean if Harm needs something, I'm fine riding the bus."

"Harm'll be fine on his own." The deeper voice startled Mac and Mattie. They turned to the origin of it and found Harm walking down the steps.

"Sorry Harm. We didn't mean to wake you."

"You didn't Mats; I was in the bathroom when I heard you two ladies discussing the matter of school and a bus ride." He grabbed a glass from the cabinet. "Mac can give you a ride Mattie..." realizing how that probably sounded he turned to Mac, "If you want to I mean."

"I don't mind. It's not like I'm doing a lot today, just here to make sure you don't pass out from a drug reaction or puke your guts up again or something of the like."

Harm immediately saw Mattie's concern from what Mac had said.

"I'll be fine Mattie. I'm not allergic to anything." He left off the that I know of part.

"Besides I feel better today." He opened the door and grabbed some orange juice.

"Okay. We have to leave at 7:30 then."

Mac just nodded, glancing at Harm. "No Harm, no orange juice." She grabbed the glass from him just before he went to pour it.

"Why not?"

"You can definitely tell you're a single male."

"I hope that you can tell that I'm a male, but what's wrong with orange juice?"

Mattie just laughed as Mac shook her head. "I'm going to finish getting ready."

When the door shut, Harm turned back to Mac. "Again what's wrong with orange juice." He went to grab his glass back, but Mac refused to give it to him. "Acidic liquid is not good on a recently tortured stomach, Harm."

"It's never bothered me before."

"You're not usually this sick. Water or something else non-acidic, what'll it be?"

"Water then."

Harm went and sat down at the bar across from Mac, watching as she filled his glass with water. She turned and set it down in front of him with a smile.

"You sure you'll be fine while we're gone? I don't mind taking Mattie at all, but I'd like not to come back and find you needing to go back to the hospital." She said turning back to her bagel and her hunt for something to put on it.

"I'll be fine. In fact I'm probably just going to go back to bed. Might take a shower, but other than that I'm not doing much in the time that you'll be gone." He smiled at her, jokingly, "Besides, some one might think that you actually worry about me Marine."

She stilled at his words. Had they really gotten that far apart for him to think that she didn't worry or care about what happened to him? They had been _very _distant as of late, but that didn't mean she didn't care if something was wrong with him. Seventeen messages should have told him that. She knew he was just kidding, picking on the marine persona, but she took it seriously anyways.

"I do worry, Harm." It was a very quiet response that he probably would have never heard if the apartment hadn't of been quiet and he hadn't have been focusing on her anyways. He did hear it though, and suddenly with that one sentence the atmosphere in the room changed drastically. He looked down at the glass and twirled it around twice before his own voice broke the silence, and soft as it was she heard it and what it said.

"I know you do Mac. I know you do."

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, his front door opened and Mattie came in ready to go.

"7:30. You ready, Mac?" Mattie could feel an odd tension and quietness in the room, but wasn't sure what she had just walked in on. Neither one seemed mad or upset so she knew they weren't fighting, but other than that she had no clue. She just for some reason wished she hadn't walked in at that moment.

"Yeah." Mac cleared her throat a little and smiled. "Yeah, just let me grab my keys."

She grabbed her keys, purse, and cell phone off the coffee table and headed towards the door with Mattie. At the door she stopped, "If you need anything, Harm, or want me to pick up anything just give me a call. Be back soon." He nodded and she gave him a brief smile as she closed the door. With a sigh to the empty apartment, his soft voice cut the emptiness off it.

"I still worry about you too, Sarah."

tbc

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AN: okay, well there's another chapter. Very sorry that it's been so long to update. The month before finals I was told by my 3rd roommate that she was moving out to live in a diff. City with her new boyfriend. Me and my other roommate spent the very last day of April moving all of our stuff to a new apartment that had taken us the whole month to find. Two weeks before finals…college finals… to say the least I was swamped. My mom's health deteriorated throughout that time and stayed that way the entire summer, so I moved back home for the summer and helped out. Dad's health has been in question as well. To top it all off the very last day of finals week I packed my car up and headed home at 10pm and within 5 mins was involved in a wreck, and my car was totaled in the front. I had full intentions to work on the story this summer, and another I have started, but not posted, but my summer got shot down the tube with that one event, and everything got worse from there.

I'm back at college now though, and I hope this semester runs smoothly or at the very least better. I apologize greatly for leaving all of you hanging and want to thank all of you that reviewed.

Next chapter should be out sometime next week! fingers crossed

-skyred


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